Something A Bit More Precious
by MyraValhallah
Summary: One shot in honour of the UK premier of 'A Land Without Magic' What were Rumpelstiltskin's thoughts when he made the deal with Belle


_**This is a little piece written in honour of the premier of the Once Finale here in the UK (I may have seen it already but I don't care) Rumpelstiltskin's thoughts when he first made the deal with Maurice. Written whilst watching Beauty and the Beast which in a fit of sheer brilliant scheduling on behalf of Channel 5 was on right before OUAT =D**_

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She was the first thing he noticed as he appeared in the high-backed chair that the Lord of this village called his throne. It was the auburn curls, so dark that one might be forgiven for calling them brown that first caught his eye. It was a colour he'd only seen once before in all his life- the colour of his wife's hair.

"Well that was a bit of a let-down" he remarked causing every pair of eyes in the room to land upon him; including a haunting blue pair which held no fear, only curiosity. He had to force himself not to look directly at her- he was here to deal with the Lord of the Manor not his off spring, no matter how much like his wife she may or may not look.

He rose from the chair and began to move about the reception room, revelling in the way they shied away from him.

"You sent a message. Something about…" he paused, pretending to have forgotten what they wanted. "'_Help, help, we're dying- can you save us?'_ Now the answer is, yes I can. I can protect your little town… for a price."

"We sent you a promise of gold" Lord Maurice told him

"Ah no…" Rumpelstiltskin didn't need gold- surely this idiot had heard tell of his hobby, he made a show of being hesitant. "You see I um… I _make_ gold. What I want, is something a bit more _precious_"

He finished with a hiss and allowed himself a glance at the woman who stood glowing in a golden gown, hugging a book to her chest. What was more precious than the Lord of the Manor's pretty daughter?

"My price… is _her_" he declared, pointing to the girl

"_No_" Lord Maurice snarled

A conventionally handsome knight, moved to stand in front of the girl- his air more possessive than protective as he asserted, grandly. "The young lady is engaged, to _me_"

"I wasn't asking if she was engaged, I'm not looking for _love_." he scoffed as the vow he'd made to the thrice cursed blue bottle fly who'd taken his son from him replayed in his mind. "I'm looking for a caretaker for my _rather large estate._ It's _her_ or _no deal_"

"Get out" Maurice hissed. "Leave"

"As you wish" Rumpelstiltskin nodded in feigned resignation before turning to stride out of the chamber. He wouldn't be surprised if little miss sunshine in her golden gown did something stupid like…

"Wait!" By the gods she even sounded the same. He turned to look back at the woman as she pushed past her betrothed to do exactly what she'd expected her to. Head held high, she approached him. "I will go with him"

"I forbid it!" the fiancé growled

"No…" the father cried out, despairingly

The latest treasure in his little collection turned her pretty face away from him and addressed her sire, defiantly. "No one decides my fate but me. I shall go."

"It's forever dearie" Rumpelstiltskin told her, ominously, attempting to draw some fear from the pampered little girl. It didn't work- _damn_

She turned back to him, eyes wet with tears she would doubtless refuse to shed, she asked. "My family, my friends- they will all live?"

"You have my word" he assured her, Dark One he may be but he was a man of his word

"Then… you have mine" the noble girl nodded. "I will go with you. Forever."

"Deal" he remarked with a giggle

"Belle" the father moaned. "Belle, you cannot do this. Belle please…" _Belle_? Well damn, the coincidences were piling up now weren't they? "You can't go with this… beast"

Rumpelstiltskin brought a hand to his chest and gasped, feigning hurt at the insult he'd heard so many times that it had lost its sting. He knew what he was.

"Father… Gaston…" Belle turned to her parent and former fiancé in turn. "It's been decided"

He moved silently to her side

"You know, she's right" Rumpelstiltskin relished the fact that Belle flinched, surprised by his suddenly intimate proximity. "The deal is _struck_"

He laid a hand on the small of Belle's back, his mind screaming at him for using his boy's words so flippantly in a business deal, and began to escort his little prize away from the only home she'd ever known. Just before they reached the doors he stopped and offered one final jab over his shoulder.

"Oh! Congratulations on your little war."


End file.
